Liverpool spent 75 million euros, plus an additional 25 million in add-ons, to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica, and the Uruguayan striker has done very little to make good on that invsetment.
Although the athletic Nunez excels at creating havoc and creating chances for himself, not unlike Uruguay legend Edinson Cavani, he is even more inadequate at finishing off those chances.
Nunez’s career highlights at Liverpool, to this point, are littered with frustrating mistakes, and it has come to a point where he is even struggling to meaningfully impose himself on games as a striker against lower-level opponents.
After spending so much money to sign Nunez, Liverpool were reticent to show an interest in selling the 25-year-old, especially since there were some positive traits there.
But now that Jurgen Klopp is out the door and, unlike many of his teammates, Nunez is struggling to improve under Arne Slot for a team that is first in both the Premier League and Champions League, his move could finally come in 2025.
According to a report from Liverpool news outlet Anfield Watch, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal are seriously considering submitting a transfer offer for Nunez ahead of this summer’s Club World Cup, which the Saudi Arabian powerhouse intends to win.
They would need to upset the likes of Real Madrid to do so, and their current crop of stars isn’t quite up to scratch. Al-Hilal famously landed Neymar in the Saudi Pro League’s initial rush for superstars, but the Brazilian icon has flamed out horribly.
Nunez could be a new centerpiece player in the attack, and with less pressure, his finishing woes won’t be as magnified or could even be outright solved. The 25-year-old is entering his prime, and his all-around game alone could be a huge boon for Al-Hilal.
Liverpool, meanwhile, would love to sell Nunez for a boatload of money, perhaps even somehow making a profit on their initially bloated fee to Benfica, this year. They could use that money to sign both a better striker and also defensive help at center back or in midfield.
Certainly, Liverpool fans would prefer to sell Nunez to Al-Hilal than, say, watch Mohamed Salah sign a big-money contract with a Saudi Pro League side. Nunez could be a big influx of cash at the right moment, exiting the club when it is clear to the Reds that he is not their future No. 9.
